The Second Hand of Time
by UnknownShinobi
Summary: The Rokudaime is getting married and the Leaf is ready to celebrate! But while the rest of Konoha prepares for the big day, there are three ninjas who know this isn’t that way things were suppose to turn out and they’ll do anything to stop the wedding!
1. Chapter 1: Smile

_**(A.N.: Naruto fanfic set nine years after Sasuke Retrieval in an A.U. nough said, read to find out more.**_

_**Clarification:**_

blahblahblah **_normal speech_**

_blahblahblah **thought**_

_blahblahblah _**_flashback speech_**

**_blahblahblah Kyuubi)_**

**_(Disclaimer: Though I wish I did, I don't own Naruto. The series belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.)_**

* * *

**The Second Hand of Time**

Chapter 1: Smile

_Captain,_

_We need you back in Konoha. Your mission is terminated immediately._

_The Rokudaime_

It was as simple as that, as simple as an order to return to Konoha. No questions asked, no options given. He was to return to the one place he could no longer call home. It wasn't the village he longed to escape, but the people. Two to be specific. Two beings who made it utterly impossible for him to want to continue living.

When had everything changed? How was it that he had ended up standing at the end of a pier in Hidden Mist with nothing but a bleak future stretching before him? His mouth set in a grim line, the Anbu captain watched as his orders floated out to sea. He would return, but it did not mean he would stay.

Turning away from the setting sun, his face was thrown into darkness. But this absence of light would never match the shadows that had taken him six years ago.

He had seen their special bond the day Team 7 was finally reunited. It was one he had never been included in, one he would never know. Kakashi told had him that he was overreacting, but the jonin hadn't seen the way they looked at each other. Mission after mission, the darkness continued to consume him and after making it into the Anbu, he had requested to be reassigned to a different team. Tsunade, of course, complied and teamed him with Sai who had to learn to deal with his partner's silence. It would be another year before he operated with his former unit again.

Tsunade-hime died during Team 7's last mission together. All they could do was watch as Orochimaru ran her straight through with his sword, as the blood of yet another kage painted that cold metal red. It didn't seem to matter that she had partially blinded him and broken both of his arms; he kept attacking until he claimed her life. As she lay dying in a pool of her own blood, her last words were reminiscent of those she had heard so long ago: take care of Konoha, take care of the ones you love. Sakura had tried everything then, every healing jutsu she could, until she was mindlessly pushing chakra into her teacher's battered body. He hadn't thought it was possible for someone to cry so much. The flood of tears that poured from Sakura's eyes were more than those shed when Team 7 broke, surpassing even those that fell when they came back together. He had been there for her even then, but she hadn't chosen him.

After the funeral, he didn't stay around for the naming of the next Hokage. He knew who it would be from the moment they carried the Godaime's body through the village gates. The way they swarmed about him it was obvious, and it would have been foolish of him to believe that the council would chosen any other. So he merely disappeared for another two years, resurfacing every once in awhile to report any findings. When he finally returned for good he was a different person, though he arrived in the same way. He had courted death before but the day he returned, his nineteenth birthday, he had never come so close to meeting her. Sakura had pulled him back from that abyss with harsh words and a gentle touch, and ended up treating him like an idiot during the month he spent in the clinic. But even she agreed that he was grimmer than before, he was a man who had suffered too much loss to be the same again.

He had been avoiding them since then. A year-and-a-half of doing as many missions as he could, half that time spent in the position of captain. Every time he accepted an assignment he hoped it would be his last. He even began to think of each day as just one more day until he died. There was nothing left for him in this world, all of his dreams had been crushed, all of his hopes fulfilled by someone else.

* * *

"Ahhh! Ca-captain! I-I didn't see you there," Herpale eyes moved over him as he stepped out of the foliage, sensing that something was amidst. "I-is something wrong?"

"No. I was merely taking a walk, Hinata. What are you doing out so late?"

"Keeping watch, sir," The Hyuuga wouldn't let the question slide though. "A-are you sure you wouldn't like to... um... talk?"

Tilting his head to one side, he looked at her. _She's always been so shy, so quiet. It was a good thing she let Neji assume leadership of the clan. Even better that she has Kiba, now. _A sad smile stole across his lips.

"We leave for Konoha tomorrow," He stole a glance at the letter he held in his hand. It smelled of flour and dirt, of leaves and green tea, it was the smell of Konoha, of comfort and well-being, but it smelt most of cherry blossoms, of Sakura.

"The Rokudaime is getting married."

"Sasuke-sempai's marrying Sakura-san?"

"Yes..."

* * *

_-Flashback-_

"_Sakura-chan, I love you."_

"_Don't be stupid Naruto. It's time you got over your crush."_

"_Sakura-chan, please! Just give me one chance! Just one da–"_

"_Forget it! Why do you always ask? You know I only love Sasuke-kun! Can't you get it through that thick skull of yours? I. Don't. Like. You."_

"_Just one?"_

"_No, I'm going home. And wipe that stupid grin off your face, baka."_

"_Okay, Sakura-chan. Good night..."_

_Why do you smile, Naruto?_

_I smile for Sakura-chan._

_But she loves Sasuke._

_And I love her._

_And she has never loved you._

_But I can always try._

_You can't change the past._

_Can't I?_

_You can't turn back time._

_Watch me._

_-End Flashback-_

* * *

"Why don't you smile anymore, Naruto-kun?" 

"I'll take over your shift, Hinata. Go sleep."

* * *

**_(A.N.: After a long break, I'm back with myfirst attempt at a SasuxSaku, with a few one-sided relationships. I'm an all out NaruxSaku fan, but I wanted to try something different. Bet you didn't think that it was Naruto until I had Hinata talk to him. Yeah, so I'm going to focus on five people in the fanfic: Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and two of their former classmates. You'll find out who they are in the next couple of chapters._**

**_And the title? Well, I borrowed it from Yukiru Sugisaki's D.N.Angel. Books six through ten had chapters entitled "The Second Hand of Time"_**

**_About the "Why do you smile, Naruto" section. That's not the Kyuubi talking to Naruto. It's Naruto and his rational(?) self. I know it sounds odd but it's a sort of an Inner Naruto._**

**_Please R&R, Shinobi over and out! Chapter 2: Tears will be up soon._**

**_"Greek Fire" and "Pink Snow", my other stories, are currently on hold while I try to figure out how to develop their plots.)_**


	2. Chapter 2: Tears

_**(Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, do you think I would be sitting in front of this computer? The Anime/Manga series belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.**_

_**Clarification:**_

blahblahblah **_normal speech_**

_blahblahblah **thought**_

_blahblahblah _**_flashback speech_**

**_blahblahblah Kyuubi)_**

**The Second Hand of Time**

Chapter 2: Tears

"Congratulations!" She faked sincerity to her friend; it was a skill she had perfected over the years. One that came with bitterness and tears. Years ago she would have pulled out her weaponry and challenged the girl to a fight. "You and Sasuke will be perfect together. Have you set a date for the wedding?"

"Well, Sasuke-kun's ordered Naruto back from Mizu no Hani to be his best man. So if that baka can get himself back here in one piece, it'll be next week."

"That soon?" Ino felt her hand tightening around the stem of the flower she held while she looked up into Sakura's green eyes. "He only just proposed a couple of days ago!"

"I know, but he says he can't wait any longer. And, well, Ino. I want you to be my maid of honor. It would mean so much to me if my best friend would!"

"Eh?" Ino refuse to let herself frown. If she did, it would mean she had lost. To drop this mask would mean that Sakura had finally beaten her, as friends and as rivals. "You already know I'll say yes, forehead! What type of friend would I be if I didn't?"

"I'll see you around then, Ino. Arigato!"

"Arigato..." As the door shut, Ino lowered her eyes to the blood that dripped from her fingers onto the bruised petals of a white rose she had recently held. "Arigato... "

She wouldn't cry. Tears were a sign of weakness, she had been the one to tell Sakura that when they were children. Tears let others see that they had injured you; tears let others see into your soul. They opened the door for more hurt, more suffering, more pain. And she, like the rose, had been bruised before.

The day Naruto brought Sasuke back to the village was one of the happiest in her life. It had signified another chance to capture his heart and to make him hers alone. But the Uchiha had eyes for only one girl, and it wasn't Ino. No, Sakura had been the lucky one. Before then, Ino had thought Sakura was the weak one but in their blossoming love, she found that she was. Where Sakura had done everything to get him to love her back, she had merely watched and waited.

Ino, if asked, could have sworn she died the night Sakura announced she had a date with Sasuke. It had taken her a week to start believing that it wasn't a genjutsu, and longer still to accept it. But she eventually did, for even Ino-pig couldn't mistake the look in their eyes for anything but love.

Love, what did she know of it? She had lost Sasuke to her best friend and Shikamaru to her own stubbornness. By the time she thought of giving her teammate a chance, he was spoken for. Not that she envied the blond sand-nin who had to put up with his laziness. Ino had to admire Temari for her skill at getting the Nara to move.

But six years... Three she wasted on waiting for him to return. Another was squandered on vying with Sakura for his attention; one-and-a-half passed in denial. Two more years were then spent hoping that Sasuke-kun would realize he had made a mistake; that he would see that she was the one he truly loved. But in the end, all it took to make her understand were a couple of words from the two shinobi she had always tried to ignore.

It had been Saint White's Day, and Ino was moping over Sasuke. She had gone to the one place she knew he wouldn't be: Ichiraku's Ramen Bar. It was the perfect getaway on such a holiday: good food, good service, but not the place to take your date. Plus, Ayame was always willing to lend an ear and listen to your problems. Unfortunately, when she got there, Ayame was gone and in her place were two of Konoha's best ninjas at surprising people: Naruto and Lee. Lee it had seemed was trying to console his silent friend while Naruto absentmindedly stirred his ramen. They had welcomed her into their group without any questions, for it was obvious that she came for the same reason. So they spent their day together, forcing laughter, suppressing tears, and reciting bad poetry.

_-Flashback-_

"_Eh, Ino? What's wrong? Lee flashed his usual sparkling smile in her direction_

"_I don't wanna to talk about it."_

"_Sasuke-teme," The blond next to her didn't even look up as he mumbled an answer._

"_H-how'd you know?"_

"_We saw."_

"_But like Gai-sensei always says: 'There are more fish in the sea! You are full of youthfulness! Live fully and someday you will find the flower of ultimate perfection!'"_

"_What the Hell is that suppose to mean!"_

_Lee was about to start up again, but Naruto saw Ino's eye twitching and, sighing, came to her aid, "It is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved."_

"_That was beautiful, Naruto!" Lee was being his normal loud self._

"_Ero…erm…Jiraiya-sensei told me that this morning."_

"_Baka." Ino placed her head in her arms, trying to hide her tears. Neither of her companions said a word as the drops fell from her eyes, instead Lee placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and Naruto poured her some sake._

_-End Flashback-_

A cough broke Ino out of her recollections. Spinning on her heels, she came face to face with a very pale Neji.

"Eh? What do you want, Neji?

"I...er... forgot Tenten's birthday.

"Ah. The usual I suppose. Amur, sakura, and oshio beni?"

"Yes."

"Mom guessed you'd forget. She already made it up for you."

Ino leaned against the counter and watched him leave with the flowers. _'Poor guy, he works so hard for his clan, and then Tenten gets on his back about stuff. He's probably afraid of what she'd do on their date tonight if he didn't bring a present.'_

When her mom finally finished in the back room, Ino quickly left the shop to wander around town.

_**(A.N.: Yeah, so Ino's the second. I guess you can see where I'm taking this. Naruto, Ino, someone else (I gave it away already)... It's the people who have suffered from the SasuxSaku relationship. I threw in the KibaxHina and the NejixTen as spur of the moment things (sorry folk, no Hyuugacest! Not to mention NaruxHina.). In truth, I kind of like the KibaxHina pairing... And I tend to prefer the ShikaxInoxTema three way pairing but I wanted Ino alone (for a good reason).**_

**_Mizu no Hani is the Land of Water, the country in which Hidden Mist is located._**

**_Amur and Oshio Beni are types of Japanese maples. Amur has yellow flowers and red leaves, and Oshio Beni has scarlet leaves and silver bark. If you don't know what sakura is yet, you're truly not a Naruto fan…_**

**_Saint White's Day is a holiday during which boys give gifts to their favorite girls. White ribbons are often given when a boy wants to say he truly loves the girl._**

**_Please R&R, Shinobi over and out! Coming soon Chapter 3: Lies)_**


	3. Chapter 3: Interlude

**_(Disclaimer: The Anime/Manga series belongs to Kishimoto Masashi, not me. Why must things always be so troublesome…?_**

_**Clarification:**_

"blahblahblah **_normal speech_**

'_blahblahblah' **thought**_

"_blahblahblah" _**_flashback speech_**

"**_blahblahblah" Kyuubi_**

**_And thank you to whomever it was that informed me of my mistake on it being Mizu no Kuni, not Hani! And NaruxIno… Hmm… Perhaps I will… And then again, perhaps I won't… Besides, what makes you say NauxIno and not LeexIno??? Just because Naruto is one of my favorite character doesn't mean he has to get the –cough– a girl every single time._**

**_Anyways… People review! You don't review, I don't write. Why? 'cause I'm a busy person and I won't write if I don't have readers, and I don't know if I have readers unless you review!)_**

**The Second Hand of Time**

Chapter 3: Interlude

"Sensei? Are you even paying attention to us? Sensei! Sensei!!!!"

'_I can barely think with this headache. Why'd Tenten take today of all days off…'_ He leaned back against the tree with his eyes closed, trying to banish the headache that came with teaching. Unconsciously, he began to withdraw into his own world, tuning out the sounds of the whining voices. His inner world was his sanctuary. It was his refuge from the pain in his life. While he began to drift off to dream world, the jonin's students began to go about with their own business.

"Dammit sensei! Why'd we have to get stuck with him?" His teammates barely even shrugged in reply. One leaned back against the tree, indifferent to whether they actually practiced or not, while the other plopped herself down on the ground and began to fiddle with a kunai.

"Hey, did you guys here the rumor?" The girl looked up at her two male counterparts, hoping to break the silence and the boredom that came with it.

"Which one? The one about you finally getting your precious Nachi-kun's attention, or the –"

"Shut the Hell up, baka. What goes on between Nachi-kun and me is none of your business. Isn't that right, Nachi-kun?"

"………"

"Ha! Genius isn't even paying attention to you!!! Ow!!!! Moegi-chaaaan!!!"

"You deserved it," the genin held her fist up threatening to punch him again. "Anyways, did you guys hear about Sakura-sennin's engagement?"

"We already know, Moegi. She ran around the village telling everyone she met."

"Nii-san's gonna be really upset."

"Your 'nii-san' is a failure." Nachi scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Nani?!?!?!?" Konohamaru jumped up and pointed at his teammate. "Naruto-niisan isn't a failure! He's saved the village plenty of times! A teme like you doesn't know anything about him!!!!!!"

Nachi raised one eyebrow in question, a motion that got Moegi sighing. "If Naruto-senpai is so great, why does he run away from Konoha like a frightened little boy?"

"Uh… He… um… er…" Konohamaru scratched his head and dropped to the ground in the classical 'thinker's' stance.

'_It got him to shut up for once.'_

'_Nachi-kun's so awesome!!!!!!!!'_ Moegi sighed and looked at her dream boy with hearts in her eyes. Only someone as smart and handsome as her Nachi-kun could get that brat Konohamaru to he quiet. And to think she had been one of the baka's best friends during their Academy years.

Nachi straightened, smirking silently, as he waited for his teammate to come up with something. It amused him to watch as the Sandaime's grandson struggled to work out a come back. Often enough, the retorts were irrational and incomprehensible, but that made them even better. Yes, Konohamaru would eventually come up with something, that's what Nachi liked about his idiot of a teammate.

"Give up yet, dobe?"

"Never! Take back what you said about Nii-san or I'll kick your butt!"

"Feh. In your dreams, loser."

"Take it back!!! Take it back!!!!!" Without thinking, Konohamaru rushed at the genius.

"Nachi-kun! Konohamaru! Stop it! Stop it! Sensei!"

'_I know it's her birthday and all, but it's the day after a mission, and she knows how the kids get…'_ He could hear the fuzzy voices buzzing in his ear, as if muffled but was too far gone to make any sense of it. The jonin had reached the point in his meditation where only he existed.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!!!!!!" Nachi continued to stand with his back up against the tree, yawning, as he held the younger boy at arm's length. "Hey! Not fair! Not fair!!!! Fine then! Oiroke no Jutsu!!!"

Yawning again, Nachi finally opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times before actually looking at his assailant. "Resorting to your lame academy tricks, pathetic. Technique's not gonna work on me, baka."

"Stop calling me that! And it does too work! YOU KEEP LOOKING, PERVERT!!!!!!!!"

"I'll call you baka as long as you act like one. You wanna be Hokage? Grow up. Besides, I'm just watching your hands to make sure you don't pull something on me."

"Konohamaru! Just give up before you get hurt!"

"Nani?!? Why don't you believe in me for once, Moegi-chan? I bet I can beat Nachi-teme!"

"No! Just stop it! Stop it, both of you!!!! Sensei!"

It was so very difficult to continue his meditation as the noise from the out world continued to filter in, like static. His peace soon shattered and his problems flooded back into his thoughts. Had any of his students been watching, they would have seen their sensei cringe and squirm in discomfort.

"This is a waste of my time…"

"Kai! Why do you like him so much, huh, Moegi-chan?" The smoke from his released technique had yet to disperse, providing a good cover for his pained expression.

"When did it start mattering to you what I did? You're always hanging around me and sticking your nose in my business. You're an annoying pest who doesn't know the meaning of 'no' and just won't go away!"

"At least I care for you, unlike pretty boy over there! You're important to me, Moegi-chan! That's why I'll always be there for you!" Konohamaru who was frantically jumping around and pronouncing his love to Moegi, was caught by surprise as Nachi attacked.

"Chakra Enjintou!" Catching the younger boy right behind the knees, Nachi smirked as he collapsed, still yelling.

"Stupid Nachi-teme! Why do you always have ta be so perfect?"

"I'm leaving. There's no use in hanging around if we're not going to train. Besides, I'm tired of listening to your annoying little rant."

"Nachi-kun! Wait for me!" Stopping briefly to stick her tongue out at her fallen comrade, Moegi then quickly dashed after her handsome 'prince' who had no intention of waiting for her.

"MOEGI-CHAAAAAAN!!!!!!!"

"Aren't having much luck, are you kiddo?"

"GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Had he been able, Konohamaru would have bolted after his team.

"Shhh, shhh. Just me, Konohamaru," The masked Anbu patted his young friend on the head while trying to suppress his laughter. Pushing his mask up with free hand, Naruto smiled down at the boy. It was a fake smile, forced but Konohamaru didn't seem to notice for he began talking quickly, rendering his words completely incoherent.

"…andthenSakura-senninranthoughthevillageandtoldeveryoneaboutSasuke-donoproposingtoher…"

Naruto continued to nod as his hand began to move towards his weapons' pouch.

"…whenIgothereMogei-chanstartedtalkingabouttheannouncementandthenItriedto…"

His attention was elsewhere, he was focusing on the movements of the intruder.

"…andthenNachi-temesaidthatyouwereafailureandthatyoushouldn'tbecap'nandsoItriedtocomeupwitha…"

The kunai left his hand without warning, slicing through the book with ease before pinning it to a tree trunk.

"…that'swhywewere–"

"You needn't be so aggressive, Naruto." The gray-haired ninja stole a sad look at his ruined book. He'd have to replace it so as to have a complete series, the paycheck of yet another mission spent upon his favorite collection. Sometimes he wondered why he even carried his most prized possessions about. His former students, it seemed, had made it their hobby to destroy the orange books whenever they saw them. Just the other day, Sasuke had confiscated _Come Come Paradise: Make-Out Tactics_, just to let it fall into the hands of Sakura. And now its sequel, destroyed! Oh, how cruel they had all become…

"Kakashi-senpai," Standing, the blond looked back at his former teacher, casually slouching as his hand moved towards his weapon's pouch again. The movement was noted by the elite jonin, though not fast enough. Within seconds, the gray-haired shinobi found his student's arm wrapped around his neck, hand hovering at his throat. "You're getting slow, sensei." Naruto chuckled to himself before standing down and offering the orange book he held to the older man. "I came across Ero-sennin on the trip back and managed to grab you the newest in the series. Oh, and sorry about the other one, Kakashi-senpai. You really should be more careful with them, anyways."

"Heh. No problem, Naruto. I see you found a nice little toy," Kakashi motioned towards the odd kunai which still pinning his old book to the wood as he took _Come Come Paradise: Make-Out Heaven_. Instead of being the standard single blade or the uncommon double bladed kunai, this weapon was custom made with three prong-like blades and an extra long handle.

"Yup. Dad left one in Kirigakure at the kage's shrine, guess it was in case they had a fight and mom decided to return to Mist," Pulling it free, the blond offer his former teacher the shredded book back.

"Captain?"

"Oh, good you three caught up. I wasn't sure what happened to you." Naruto turned about to face the rest of his team who were staring at the orange book he held. "Eh?"

"Sir….. you….. um….. uh….."

"Yes, Kaoru?"

"NARUTO I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE READING ONE OF THOSE – THOSE – THOSE PORNO BOOKS!!!!!!"

"Nani? No need to yell, Kiba. Oh, this? It's Kakashi-sensei's….." It's amazing how much someone can change in six years. Naruto was a good example. His friends still remembered the hyper-active prankster who couldn't keep calm for a minute even it you tied him in a chair. Maybe it was all that time he had spent away from the village, for even after all their missions together, they still weren't used to this 'new' Naruto who could easily shrug something off without bursting into an hour long rant about how he would never read one of his Ero-sensei's perverted books. Here was a Naruto who casually waved the orange book at them as he dismissed them from duty.

_**(A.N.: I really don't want to explain who's talking to whom in the above dialogue, so I'll just list each person's characteristics:**_

**_Lee: The teacher who's basically sleeping the entire chapter_**

**_Moegi: Avid fan girl/Believer in punishing stupidity_**

**_Konohamaru: The hyperactive idiot/Naruto's enthusiastic follower_**

**_Nachi: (Original Character) The medic-nin/Genius/likes to call Konohamaru various names_**

**_I keep getting myself confused about the ages of the characters. The Rookie 9 are about 20 now. Team Gai is about 21, and Konohamaru's buddies are 14 or 15 (he was 7 when Naruto was 12/13, at least I think he was)._**

_**It's taking so long to write this chapter!!!!**_

_**September 25th – page three of chapter (**"Hey! Not fair! Not fair!!!! Fine then! Oiroke no Jutsu!!!"_

_**October 17th – page five of chapter (**Here was a Naruto who casually waved the orange book at them as he dismissed them from duty._

**_November 19th – reread chapter and revised a bit ..:::.. considers revamping_**

**_November 25th – decides to rename chapter "Interlude" and start a new chapter for Lee._**

**_December 1st – Finally revision of chapter._**

**_I know many of you must hate me by now, but please understand that I'm a senior in high school and I'm trying to do the best work I can. It's difficult for me to get on here and post some times - not to mention that I haven't had the internet at home for the past two weeks. Sorry, readers._******


End file.
